Corrupted Flower
by solitaryloner
Summary: Their sinful love for each other blooms like a corupted flower, and through their tears of sorrow, the flower flourishes. The pain of separation makes the flower bloom even more beautifully than it did before - and now, the flower bides its time, waiting to bear its fruit. Perhaps to others, their love is tainted and corrupted, but to them, their love is pure and true. LenXMiku.


_**Solitaryloner: **I was listening to Haitoku no Hana on repeat. So this story came about. Obviously, the pairing in this story is different from the pairing in the song. So yeah._

_Um, this story...it's M rated, true, but it's not exactly graphic. I'm intending to give this all a very...dreamy quality? Anyway, it's not going to be very physical, so don't expect too much._

_I don't think it'll be a two shot, this one. I mean, it'll be weird if it's more than just a one shot, so...this story will remain untouched unless a million people beg me to continue it or something. But I don't think anyone will._

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_It was because their love was a forbidden one, that forced them to think that they could never be together. And because of that thought, it killed him on the inside._

''Because I don't want to let you go,'' the soft whisper made her shiver. ''I don't care that our love is a forbidden one, I don't care about anything...say yes,'' he raised her hand to his lips, brushing them gently against her skin. ''Let me take you away from here. Let me take you where no one will mind our love,'' his eyes were so intense, as they stared at her.

How could she ever bring herself to say no to him? But she had to. She just knew that she had to. She couldn't run away with him - she couldn't possibly leave everything behind. No matter how much she loved him. She knew she loved him, but...could she give everything up for him? Was she willing to make such a sacrifice?

_Just like a corrupted flower. Their love was pure...so pure that it was a sin, in the eyes of God. Their love was a sweet love, as sweet as the nectar of a corrupted flower, dripping slowly to the ground...a wilted petal falls._

''I can't,'' she murmured, averting her gaze. Even then, she didn't miss the flash of hurt that went through his eyes. It hurt her, to see those beautiful blue eyes filled with so much hurt - as though he was dying. Shrivelling away from the inside. Did he really love her that much? Would he be willing to die for her, as he had claimed before? She didn't know. Would she do that?

_Their love was a twisted one, a forbidden one. It was a selfish love - he wanted her all to himself, and she wanted to be free from the burden of carrying this. It was an intoxicating love, a love which made her dizzy - but it was too heavy a burden for her to bear alone._

''Why?'' he asked, his voice soft. It was brimming with hurt, and she swallowed. She didn't want to hurt him again, but she had done just that. Hurt him. She was terribly selfish and cruel, making him suffer like that - but then, what else was she supposed to do? She had family. Friends. She couldn't just drop it all and flee with him. Then what of her family? What of her sickly mother? Who would care for her?

''Forget about me,'' she whispered. ''You'll find another person. Someone far better than I ever was,'' she closed her eyes, brushing her lips against his forehead. ''You'll find someone else your parents don't forbid you from seeing. Our love is forbidden, and sinful in the eyes of many. Just talking to me alone is a sin, to your parents. Surely you don't want to defy them.''

''I would defy God himself for a chance with you,'' he said fiercely, seizing her hands tightly with his own. She gasped, startled - she hadn't meant to make him react that way. Her heart thrummed in her chest, at the thought of what he had just said - no, he was damning himself! If he really did end up defying God...no, that couldn't possibly be allowed to happen.

_A corrupted flower, blooming brightly in both their hearts. Like the sweet, poisonous nectar which seeped from the flower, their love for each other overflows...but then, they couldn't do anything. She can't do anything. She could no longer bear the heavy weight of their forbidden love - it was too suffocating._

''Len,'' she said softly, brushing her fingers gently against his cheek. He caught her hand, pressing it against his face - tenderly, he placed a kiss on her palm, his blue eyes watching her lovingly all the while. She almost couldn't breathe, as she watched him watch her - the desperate love she could see in his gaze almost made her give in. She knew that he loved her, more than he loved his own life. Himself.

But then, she couldn't ever return the fervour of that love. She had other responsibilities - she couldn't just focus on their love alone. ''I'm sorry,'' she continued, her gaze still not meeting his. ''I'm sorry for everything. If I could, I would run away with you - I would leave it all behind. But I can't. Perhaps, in another life, our love won't be forbidden...but for now, we're clearly not meant to be,'' she finished quietly.

Slowly, she tugged her hand away. To her surprise, he allowed her to withdraw, his gaze never leaving her - she knew he was watching her, though she refused to return his stare. They were in her room - Len had entered through the window. He had climbed up the nearby tree, as was his usual habit, and then he had leapt lightly on to her veranda. She had then allowed him into her room, as usual.

''I know,'' was all he said, and in those two syllables, she could hear a world of hurt. It made her heart ache terribly, when she heard him sounding like that - but then, she couldn't possibly leave her sickly, frail mother alone. Her father was away on a business trip as usual, and there was no one left in the house, other than her and her mother. She knew her father disapproved of their relationship as well...

Lightly, he kissed her forehead. ''I know that it was very selfish, to ask you to run away with me,'' he whispered. ''But I didn't want to lose you,'' once again, he took hold of her hand, his thumb rubbing gently against her skin, in feather light strokes. ''I felt like I had been searching for so long, for someone I couldn't find...and when I first saw you, I knew you were who I was looking for,'' he sighed.

''But then, our love was a forbidden one,'' he continued, looking down at the hand he held. ''You know, after I found out who you were, I knew our families would never approve of us loving each other. I tried to stay away from you,'' he glanced up, and his gaze was filled with misery. ''God knew how hard I tried to stay away from you, at first. But in the end, I couldn't run away. I...I couldn't resist you, ultimately.''

_The flower took root in their hearts, spreading its disease. It whispered ideas in their minds - it made them love each other, even though they knew to do that was a foolish act. An hopeless act. Their cursed love refused to wither, though - it refused to disappear._

''Our love is a poison,'' her fingers tightened around his hand. ''I love you, Len,'' she glanced up, finally meeting his gaze. ''But simply loving is not enough. Not for our kind of love. I tried to stay away from you as well, but that didn't get us anywhere...'' she leant forward, kissing his cheek briefly. ''Our love blooms like a corrupted flower, and it refuses to wilt. It stays, lingering in our hearts like the terrible beauty it is.''

''Miku,'' was all he said in response, his fingers brushing lightly against her cheek. Gently, he pulled her towards him, and she went willingly, feeling his arms wrapping tightly around her waist. As though he was frightened of ever letting her go. She rested in his arms, feeling safe and secure - even though she shouldn't be doing this. Even though she knew that the both of them weren't good for each other...

He repeated her name, and there was so much love in his voice that it hurt to hear. Miku swallowed, not knowing whether she ought to return his love - she loved him, but it wasn't right. Was it? This felt so right, being in his arms...even if their love was a forbidden one. Even if, no matter what they did, they could never be together. For now, all she wanted to do was to feel him, holding tightly on to her.

_The young noble, Len Kagamine, had first met Miku Hatsune at the town market. He had went there, in the disguise of a young peasant boy, interested in seeing how the commoners lived - he was from an aristocratic family, and his family had always sheltered him from the dreary lives of the poor. He was interested, though, in how the commoners lived._

_Miku Hatsune was a flower girl. She was not very poor, unlike most of the peasants, but she was not an aristocrat. She had once come from a wealthy noble family, but her family had lost their entire fortune because of a fire, and that had left her father a bitter man. Her mother, likewise, had been weakened by the shock of losing their once vast fortune overnight._

_Her father now worked as a trader, trying to build his fortune back. Meanwhile, to try and contribute to the family income in her own small way, so she could help to pay for her mother's medicines, Miku worked as a flower girl, selling flowers to make a living. On the day Len Kagamine came to the town market, Miku had been crying by the fountain._

_Some children had come up to her and stolen all her flowers as a mischievous prank, and she had nothing left to sell. Miku hadn't known what to do. She had wanted to chase after the children to get her flowers back, but she didn't know where they had went - there had simply been too many of them. Len had then went to her and asked her why she was crying._

_When she told him why, Len went to search for the children - and sure enough, he had found them, not too far away from the market itself. One of the small group of children was carrying a small basket, filled entirely with flowers. Upon questioning, the children admitted that they had stolen the flowers, and they had reluctantly returned them to him._

_Len then returned the basket full of flowers to the flower girl. At the sight of her basket, she had brightened, looking up to give him a grateful smile - and his heart had stopped. It was the first time he had truly seen her face, for when he had been talking to her earlier, she had been crying, hiding her face behind her hands. Now, he knew how she looked._

_She was beautiful. Even with her watery eyes and tremulous smile, she was beautiful. Hastily, she wiped the tears away from her eyes, standing and curtseying to him. ''Thank you,'' she said softly, as though she didn't quite dare to speak to him. As she rose from the curtsey, her long teal hair fell out of its elegant up-do, cascading around her face._

_She flushed, embarrassed, as she knelt to the ground to pick up her loose hairpins. ''I'm sorry!'' she apologised to him. ''I didn't mean to be so rude...'' she took in a breath as the nice boy knelt down next to her, helping her to pick up the hairpins. He was very handsome, she noticed - with his golden hair and sad blue eyes. She blushed harder at the thought._

_''It's okay,'' he said, voice as soft as her own. ''You should leave your hair down more often. It suits you better,'' he smiled at her. She thought she could feel her heart begin to race - it suited her? Had he...had he just paid her a compliment? Ah! But she didn't even know what was his name! She was being very rude here, and that was embarrassing her._

_''Th-thank you for your compliment,'' she managed to stutter out. ''And...I'm sorry,'' she apologised once again, ''But I have yet to know your name. Would you be so kind as to let me know...who my benefactor is?'' she smiled up at him again. Len thought he felt something twist in his chest, at the sight of that lovely smile. It was just...it was just so sweet._

_''My name is Len Kagamine,'' he inclined his head. Her eyes widened at the sound of his name, and it made him wonder whether he should have given her a fake name. There was only one family with the name of Kagamine around these parts, and that was his. She would know who he was now...but then, he didn't want to lie to her about who he was._

_''Len Kagamine,'' she gasped. ''The aristocrat?'' she dropped into a deeper curtsey than she had given him, before. ''I'm so sorry!'' she cried out, obviously embarrassed. ''I hadn't meant to be so disrespectful - it's just that Sire was not wearing the robes of a noble, and I, being the fool that I am, did not notice that you were of noble blood! I shall never be so rude to you -''_

_''Shush,'' he whispered, interrupting her midway through her frantic apology. ''There's no need to be so worried about offending me. I had not intended to be recognised by anyone, either,'' he gave her a reassuring smile. ''Now that you know who I am, may I know the name of the lovely maiden?'' he held her hand up to his lips, kissing her pale skin gently._

_She flushed, still embarrassed. ''Miku...Miku Hatsune,'' she stammered, unused to being spoken to by an aristocrat. Len stiffened at the name - Hatsune. Hatsune...the name of the destitute noble family. The name of the family that his father despised, solely because the heads of both families had some kind of bitter feud going on between the two of them._

_Not that Len even knew what the feud was about. ''Hatsune? Could you, perchance, be a child of the noble Hatsune family...the family which had lost all their wealth in a fire, eight years ago, and still has yet to rebuild their fortune?'' he asked, dreading the answer. The teal haired beauty looked up at him, her green eyes wide with what seemed to be shock._

_''Yes. How did you...'' her voice trailed off. ''You're a Kagamine,'' she said softly, almost to herself. ''I forgot. Our families...'' she looked up at him, from beneath her long eyelashes. ''I'm sorry,'' she now sounded distant and formal, instead of warm and vibrant, as she had been just now. ''But I have to leave now. Thank you for your kindness, Lord Kagamine.''_

_With a quick bow, she picked up her basket of flowers and trotted away from the fountain. Away from him. Len's gaze followed her, even as he watched her walk away...his gaze followed her until she was swallowed up by the crowds, and he could see her no longer. Then he looked down, his fingers curling into fists. What had happened just now..._

_No, there was no point in paying their little conversation any heed. Their families were enemies, and no matter how attractive she was, he couldn't talk to her. His father would be displeased, if he found out that Len had spoken to someone from the Hatsune family. It would be better not to think about Miku Hatsune - he would forget about her, then._

_Even if he just wanted to see her again..._

''Loving you was the act of a fool,'' Len said quietly. She didn't miss the tiny hitch in his voice - and she knew that the thought that was really running through his mind...wasn't the same thing as what he had just said. ''And I was the fool who fell irrevocably in love with you. Perhaps this is my punishment, for being a fool - I'm cursed to a doomed love,'' he laughed.

The laugh was bitter, and it broke her heart. ''Don't say things like that,'' she whispered, looking up at him. He glanced down at her, his blue eyes haunted - as sad and haunted as they had been, the very first time she had ever seen him. She still recalled that time. He had seemed so lonely then, even while he had been smiling at her. At first, she had thought that it was because she had done something wrong.

But then, she had eventually realised that his eyes were always sad. They only became less sad when she was around...but that was only after they had succumbed to the corrupted love that they felt for each other. Before that, before the tainted flower of their love had bloomed in their hearts, every time he laid eyes upon her, his blue eyes turned even more haunted. Like the very sight of her alone brought him pain.

_There he was again. Len Kagamine. Watching her, with those familiar sad eyes. She didn't know why he was always here, in the town market - did he not have better things to do, as a young aristocrat, other than to come here and do nothing whatsoever? He was always here, standing around the fountain...it made her wonder why. This was all very strange._

_She ducked her head, avoiding him. Ever since their first meeting, three days ago, he had come to the town market every day. She didn't know why he was here, for he never bought anything - he just sat at the fountain and watched the crowds go by. Every time she passed by him, she would tense - but he never made any move, and that confused her._

_She had expected him to try and do...things to her. In an attempt to harm her family. The Kagamine family hated the Hatsune family, did they not? Her father had always told her to stay away from the Kagamine noble family, if she was ever unfortunate enough to cross their path. They hated their family, her father had told her, and she trusted her father._

_Yet, Len Kagamine had never done anything to harm her, even if his family hated hers. He had even helped her to get her flowers back three days ago, had he not? Did that mean...he wasn't like the rest of his family? She shot him a sideways glance, then quickly looked away. No, that wasn't possible. The Kagamine family hated the Hatsune family. All of them did._

_Len Kagamine would be no exception. Miku sighed, looking around to see if anyone would be willing to buy her flowers. Business was slow today, and she stared despondently down at her little flower basket. It was still half full, and she wondered whether she would be able to sell all the flowers by evening. Either way, the flowers would wilt, and she would have to get new ones...it would be such a waste._

_It was already late afternoon, and she doubted that she would be able to sell all of the flowers by dinnertime. She resigned herself to the fact that she was going to have to throw all these lovely flowers away - she couldn't possibly keep them and sell them tomorrow. They would have wilted by then, and no one would be willing to buy wilted, dead flowers._

_Suddenly, she noticed someone standing before her, and startled, she looked up. Her heart froze - there stood Len Kagamine, watching her carefully. She exhaled, shocked, but quickly composed herself. ''What are you looking for, Lord Kagamine?'' she asked, trying her best to sound as distant and detached as possible. She had to be careful around him._

_''I'd appreciate it if you'd just call me Len,'' came the soft whisper. ''And...I was wondering whether those are all for sale?'' He gestured down at the flowers in her basket. Miku blinked, startled - she stared down at the same basket, trying to see why he would ask such a question. There were many flowers in there, but nothing too special or very rare._

_''Yes,'' she said slowly, suspiciously. ''They're all for sale. Would you like to buy one?'' she asked, hoping that she would be able to sell at least a few more flowers. Len seemed to hesitate, as he looked down at the basket - slowly, Miku's hope began to fade. He wasn't going to buy the flowers, after all. Sighing, she turned around, preparing to look for another customer._

_''Wait!'' Len said abruptly, making her turn back. She faced him, her eyes searching his. She couldn't help noticing one thing - that, despite how flawlessly handsome he was, he had the saddest eyes she had ever seen. They looked...tortured. It was the best description she could think up of, to describe his vivid blue eyes. That they looked immensely tortured._

_''I...I want all of them,'' he said simply, making her eyes widen in shock. Uncertainly, she passed him the whole basket - she didn't need the basket, as she had several more at home. However, Len took the whole bundle of flowers out of the basket, and returned the basket itself to her. Within the basket, there was a lot of money...far more than all the flowers were worth. She stared, dazed, at the money._

_''I'm sorry, but you paid too much -'' she glanced up, but Len was already gone, and she couldn't see where he could possibly have went. Miku slowly reached into the basket, counting out the money - there was more in there than she could have made in a month. She swallowed, looking around once more for Len. He wasn't anywhere to be found._

_Was he trying to help her? But why had he done that? To try and win her trust? Why? She swallowed. Perhaps it was working. She stared down at the money again, but resolutely she shook her head. She couldn't possibly accept all this money. Tomorrow, if he was here again, she would return it to him. That was only right. She couldn't possibly keep all this..._

_She was not a beggar, and she didn't need him to pity her. She nodded - tomorrow, she would return it all to him. After all, it wasn't right for her to keep what didn't belong to her._

''But what else do you want me to say?'' he asked, slow and uncertain. ''I love you. Yet I cannot love you. I wonder whether your pain is as great as mine. Perhaps we are not fated to be together...after all, we belong to bitterly feuding families. Both of our families greatly disapprove of us being together - no matter how much we try to convince them otherwise, they deem our doomed love as forbidden.''

Gently, she leant up to kiss him. His lips met hers, and he kissed back. It was a chaste kiss, sweet and innocent, and before long the two of them had pulled away from each other. Len held her close to him, not wanting to let go. ''Is tonight the last night I have with you, before you have to leave?'' he asked, and as he asked her that question, it sounded as though his heart was breaking into tiny little pieces.

She had to go. ''It's only for a while,'' she tried to reassure him. Her mother had become even more sickly than usual, and she wished to see a famous doctor who lived in the neighbouring country, so she could try and recover from her illness. Naturally, Miku was going to have to accompany her mother there - the journey here and back would take about two months, in total. Unless her mother wished to stay there.

Then it might take even longer than two months. She tried not to think about that...and evidently, Len was trying not to think of that, either. ''It's two months,'' he whispered. ''And what if your mother decides to settle over there? Then I'll never have the chance to see you again,'' he choked on his words, burying his face in the crook of her neck. Miku gently stroked the back of his head, humming softly.

''Len,'' she tried to say, kissing him gently on the cheek. ''Don't be sad...'' she drew back, making him meet her gaze. She had never seen such abject misery on anyone's face before, and it made her want to cry. ''Treat this as a chance to find someone else,'' she brushed her fingers against his cheek. ''Someone that your parents would approve of. Someone who would be free to love you as much as you love them.''

''How could I ever love anyone other than you?'' he asked, his voice blunt. She flinched at the obvious pain in his tone. ''If you ask me to love anyone else, then you might as well ask me to jump off a building. In fact, I'd be more willing to do the latter than the former...'' he hung his head, his bright, golden blond hair falling in loose wisps around his face. It was untied, and even in the darkness of night, it glimmered.

She ran her fingers through his hair, sifting through each strand. He relaxed at her touch, but she felt his grip on her tighten. She leant her head against his shoulder, curling up in his lap - it had been such a long time since the two of them had just curled up like this. Alone and quiet. Her father had left for his business trip only recently, and it was only when her father left could Len slip into her house, undetected.

_''Excuse me...'' Len turned around, knowing the voice of the speaker. He would have known that lovely voice anywhere, no matter how far away it was from him...and sure enough, there she was. Miku Hatsune kept her gaze trained on the ground, standing close enough for him to hear her, but too far away for him to touch. He swallowed, trying to appear calm._

_In truth, he was unspeakably nervous. He had spent the past few days trying to get her off his mind...yet, every morning, as though his body was on automatic, he would come to the town market and sit at the fountain, watching her sell flowers there. He didn't know why he was doing such a thing - all he knew was, no matter what, he wanted to talk to her._

_Or, even if he could not talk to her...he wanted to see her again. He couldn't get that lovely smile of hers off his mind, no matter how hard he tried. God knew how hard he had tried. Len knew perfectly well that he wasn't supposed to think of her that way, since she was part of the Hatsune family - a family that his father detested. Yet, he couldn't control himself..._

_He couldn't seem to control his feelings for her, and it frustrated him. All Len wanted to do was to drown his feelings out, so that he would no longer have to undergo all this confusion, all this uncertainty - but then, life never went the way he wanted it to, did it? He just couldn't understand how one simple smile could make him...feel. Feel so much, so...intensely._

_''You...yesterday, you paid me too much for the flowers,'' her full lips were pressed into a faint frown. ''So I'm returning it to you. Here you go,'' she reached out, holding out some money. When he made no move to take it, she sighed, then reached out for his hand. He stiffened at her touch, feeling her pry his fist open, then drop the money into his open palm._

_Gently, she closed his hand, curling his fingers back into a fist, before letting his hand drop back to his side. Len watched, stunned, as she bent down and picked up her basket, preparing to leave. And suddenly, he didn't want her to leave - he wanted to speak to her. He wanted her to stop treating him as no more than a stranger, just because of their families._

_''Wait,'' he called out, making her stiffen. She glanced up at him, still and unmoving, even as he moved forward to close the gap between them. ''Why did you return me the money?'' he asked, watching her closely as he waited for her answer. Miku seemed to pause, her cheeks turning from pale to rose as he scrutinised her. Really, why had she returned it to him?_

_''I...I'm not a beggar,'' she straightened proudly, and at that moment, he could see the aristocrat that she had been supposed to be. ''I can make a living using my own two hands, and I don't need anyone to pity me, or to give me money...'' her voice slowly faded away into silence. They watched each other for a while. Finally, she spoke again. ''But nevertheless, I thank you for your very kind gesture.''_

_The last words were formally spoken, and once again, she turned to leave. However, before she could walk away from him, Len's hand shot out, lightly touching her shoulder. He felt her freeze at his touch. ''Don't walk away from me again,'' he whispered. ''I need to talk to you. I want to...speak to you. To know more about you. Please?'' Gently, he turned her around._

_She allowed him to spin her to face him, so that her eyes met his. ''Why?'' she asked, that one word holding far more emotion than any other sentence could ever convey. Confusion swirled in the depths of her lovely green eyes, eyes that were so expressive and vivid that he felt that he could drown in them. He paused, wondering. Why, indeed? Why her?_

_''Because...'' his voice trailed off as he struggled to think of a good answer, an answer that wouldn't make him sound like an utter fool. ''Because...don't you feel it?'' he asked. She cocked her head, the confusion in her eyes intensifying - clearly, she didn't know what he was talking about. ''When I look at you...'' he whispered. ''Something cries out inside me.''_

_''What cries out?'' she asked, blinking up at him. Her eyelashes were startlingly long and thick, and they brushed lightly against her cheeks, making her look unbelievably delicate. Doll-like, in fact. He swallowed at the thought, not wanting to think too much about that. About how delicate she looked. As though if he handled her too roughly, she would shatter._

_''Something,'' he answered honestly. ''I don't know what it is, but whenever I see you walking away from me, that something begs me to make you stay with me,'' he glanced away from her. ''I just want to talk to you,'' he continued, his voice soft. ''It's the only thing I want. Would you let me do that, Miku?'' her green eyes widened as he used her name._

_''All right,'' she finally agreed, though it was somewhat hesitantly. ''When, and where do you want to meet me? It has to be somewhere remote...somewhere no one can ever find us. You know what our families are like,'' she glanced away from him, her eyes darting back and forth between him and the ground. ''They'd be...upset, if they knew about this.''_

_''I know,'' came the quiet reply. Tiredly, he sighed. ''How about...at the riverside, tomorrow noon? People rarely go to the riverside past morning, since most would collect water only in the morning and the evening. We should have the riverside all to ourselves, then,'' he hesitated. ''Is that okay with you, Miku?'' he asked her slowly._

_She nodded. It wasn't as though she had very much to do, anyway. Nothing other than selling flowers. And one day of not selling flowers wasn't going to affect her that much, since she didn't make a lot of money each day, anyway. ''I'll see you tomorrow, then,'' she swallowed, wondering what exactly she was agreeing to. If her father ever found out..._

_She felt his hand clasp hers, and she blinked, her eyes widening. ''Miku?'' Len murmured, his voice barely audible. ''Thank you for agreeing to talk to me,'' with that, he raised her hand to his lips, and again he kissed her hand. Just like he had, the first time they had met each other. She blushed a little, snatching her hand away, before she went off down the street._

_She could feel his gaze boring into her, the whole time she was walking away from him._

''If...in case I don't come back...'' she felt him tense at her words, ''then I'll give you a present now. A present for you to remember me by,'' she had made up her mind - she wouldn't give this to anyone else. Only to Len. Because she loved him, and he loved her - she knew that he loved her, even more than he loved his own life. She knew that she was unspeakably precious to him, and he would die to keep her safe.

''What present?'' he asked her, almost timidly. In response, she leant up, her lips meeting his - he remained very still for a while, evidently surprised by her actions, but then he swiftly got over his shock, kissing her back. This kiss was nothing like the innocent, chaste one that they had shared earlier. This kiss was deep and possessive - with this one fierce kiss, Len marked her as his. Only and completely his.

''Miku,'' he murmured against her mouth, his tongue flicking out to run lightly against her lips. She shivered in his arms, then let her hands drift down to the buttons of his shirt. His eyes widened as he felt her tugging at the buttons, and his hand immediately shot out to stop her. They had never done anything like this before - they had rarely dared to go anywhere beyond simple, innocent, chaste little kisses.

''Shh,'' he whispered as she stared up at him, confused. ''Don't look at me like that, love...'' he sighed. ''I don't want you to give yourself to me only because you feel that you have to,'' he said quietly. ''I never expected anything of that sort from you. Just because I love you...doesn't mean that I expect you to give yourself wholly to me,'' he glanced away. ''Especially when our families don't approve of us,'' he added bitterly.

''I'm not giving this to you because I feel that I have to, Len,'' she answered, making him look up at her in surprise. ''I'm giving you myself because I love you. Because I trust you. Because our families disapprove...since, if we will never be able to actually be together...I want to give you something to remember me by. The most precious thing I can give to anyone...and I want to give it to you,'' she whispered softly.

''You're willing to give yourself to me?'' he asked, his voice low. Almost reverent. ''Miku...'' he seemed to be at a loss for words. ''If I can never see you again, I'll remember this till the day I die,'' his eyes softened as he looked at her. ''I'll long for you until I can finally be with you again,'' his voice was soft, so soft that she could barely hear it. She snuggled against his chest, and he held on to her tightly.

It was almost as though he feared that she would disappear from his sight. As though she was some kind of dream, and if he didn't hold on to her tightly, he would wake up, and she would fade away into nothingness...

_She was there, at the river. Len could see her looking around as she waited for him to show up, and he swallowed, suddenly undeniably nervous. He didn't know what to do, nor did he know what to say. But he knew he couldn't just stay here, watching, in the trees forever. As though he was some kind of coward. So, almost against his will, he strode out past the trees, walking towards the teal haired girl._

_She jumped a little as she heard his approach. ''Oh, Len,'' she smiled tremulously. ''I was wondering whether you were going to come...'' he saw her fidget nervously, twisting the edge of her cotton dress around her hand. She looked very pretty today, he noticed - she was wearing a simple white dress, a pure white cloth that seemed to reflect her own purity._

She's far too pure and innocent for me..._the thought ran through his mind, but he did his best to push the thought away. He didn't want to think about that. ''Did you wait for very long?'' It was a silly question. He knew that she hadn't waited for that long - for he had been there before her, watching...waiting for her to show up at the river bank. Just waiting._

_Desperate to see her again. ''Me? No, not really,'' she answered, as soft-spoken as she usually was. ''So...what did you want to talk about?'' she finally asked him, averting her face so that she looked down at the ground, instead of at him. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest, a sputtering rhythm that she had no control over. Why was she just so nervous?_

_Gentle fingers tilted her chin up, and she gasped in surprise, looking straight at Len. The blond noble was staring right back at her, those haunted blue eyes now undeniably familiar to her. ''I...'' he began, but then he paused, as though checking himself. ''I wanted to ask you something...'' he hesitated again, like he was feeling...frightened, almost._

_She was getting intrigued. ''What did you want to ask me about?'' she asked. Len seemed to come to some kind of decision, and he took in a breath, as though he was taking in courage with that same breath. Miku wondered what manner of question it was, such that he was so nervous about saying it to her. Was it an embarrassing question? She stifled a giggle._

_''Are you promised to anyone?'' he asked her. She blinked up at him - that was such a strange question. She had to think for a while, before she finally understood what he had meant. Promised...ah, so he was asking her whether or not she was engaged to another. It was a rather odd question for him to ask, but she chose to answer it truthfully, anyway._

_''No. I'm not. But why do you ask?'' she cocked her head, confused. He was still holding on to her chin, tilting her face up so that her gaze met his - and now, she watched as his eyes darkened, like he was trying to hide some kind of grave secret from her. He met her gaze reluctantly, and she stared right back at him, still waiting for an answer to her question._

_''Because of this...'' her eyes widened as he leant down, his lips meeting hers. It was a swift brush of their lips, and it could barely be considered a kiss - but nevertheless, it was a kiss. Her first kiss, and it had been taken by Len Kagamine. The son of the Kagamine family, the family who couldn't stand her and her parents. Her wide gaze met his own._

_''I like you,'' he whispered. ''From the very first moment I met you...I liked you. I wanted to talk to you, I wanted to know more about you. I wanted to see your smile,'' he looked almost shamefaced. ''I know I shouldn't have kissed you like that, just now,'' he began, ''but then I couldn't help myself anymore. I'd wanted to touch you for so long, and you were so close to me...I was so close to everything I wanted -''_

_This time, his gaze widened as she leant up, her lips silencing his words. Len stood still for a while, stunned by what had just happened - before he wrapped his arms around her, him kissing her back with equal fervour. Right then, it didn't matter that their families hated each other. All that was important was that they themselves had feelings for each other._

_Everything else could be overcome, surely. If he loved her, and she loved him...if they had feelings for each other...surely everything would sort itself out? He loved her - he had fallen for her within a short span of three days, and he would do anything to keep her safe from his own family. He loved her._

_But then, love didn't always work out, did it? Sometimes, love was wicked and corrupted...and in their case, it was a lovely, tainted flower, spreading throughout their hearts and choking them. Suffocating them till they could no longer breathe, their fingers still laced together as they struggled to take a breath..._

Unlike Len, Miku hadn't realised her feelings for him straight away. She had tried to deny those feelings, even to herself, knowing that her family would never approve of them being together - but then, when he had kissed her at the river, she had realised her own feelings for him. She had realised that she liked his touch, and when he had told her that he liked her...happiness had flickered through her heart.

Now, Len held on to her protectively, and she felt safe in his hold. Like nothing bad could ever happen to her. Gently, he ran his hand down her upper arms, and she shivered at his touch. She was scared of what was going to happen, but at the same time, she was rather...excited about it. For she knew that Len would never do anything to hurt her. He would loathe the very idea of causing her pain...and she for him.

She would never hurt Len, either. She tried her best not to do anything which would make him suffer, yet that was all she ever seemed to be able to do. Make him hurt. If this would let him not hurt anymore...then so be it. She didn't want him to be in pain any longer...so long as he would be happy. Miku wished that, even after she left, he would be happy. Even if he fell for someone else...so long as he remained happy.

His touch still as gentle as ever, Len let his fingers trail down the buttons of her simple nightdress. Deftly, he slid each button through each hole, then he tugged the nightdress off her body, leaving her dressed in nothing but her undergarments. At this point, Len glanced up at her, his eyes hooded. ''Do you want me to continue?'' he asked, his voice husky and low. Miku nodded, certain of what she wanted.

The look in his eyes softened, and he leant down to kiss her lovingly. She sighed against his lips, feeling thankful that her...first would be Len. That it would be someone she truly loved, with all her heart. Even if her love was tainted and sinful. Even if the love that they shared was nothing but a sin, a corrupted flower that should never have bloomed into existence. Despite everything against them...she still loved him.

Quickly, he slid her undergarments off her body, so that she was entirely bared to him. She suddenly felt unbelievably shy - after all, she had never been naked in front of anyone else before. Not ever. And now, all of a sudden, she was letting Len see her bare body...it made her wonder how she looked like, to him. Did he find her good enough? Did he like what he saw? Or maybe she wasn't attractive enough for him -

'Don't worry so,'' he whispered, his hands cupping her face as he gazed at her intently. ''No one else can ever be as beautiful as you are to me, and there's no need for you to compare yourself to anyone or anything,'' his gaze became almost fierce. ''You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen,'' he murmured, his voice a barely audible whisper. ''I wish I didn't have to lose you...I wish that you could stay.''

She hurt, at the sound of the sorrow in his voice. ''I may leave you now,'' she answered, reaching up to press his hand against her cheek. ''But...tonight, you will take a part of me with you. Something you can remember me by. All right?'' she asked him. Len stared indecisively at her for a while, but then he finally nodded, his blue eyes still filled with an unbelievable sadness. Did he...did he really love her that much?

She did to him what he had done to her, and he helped her along with that. Before long, all their clothes were strewn into messy piles on the floor, and Len was in the same naked state as she was, him straddling her waist as he stared down at her. His gaze was now filled with possessiveness, and she shivered. She didn't know whether or not she liked seeing him so possessive of her. It made her feel...wanted.

She was lying flat on her bed, just staring up at him. Len leant down, his breath washing gently against her skin - his breath smelled like heady cinnamon, spicy and refreshing. ''You don't know how much I've always wanted you,'' he sighed, his voice a silken purr. ''How much I longed for your touch, even from the very first day I met you...'' he looked away from her. ''Perhaps one could say I was a fool, but I couldn't help it.''

''If you want me, then prove it,'' Miku blinked up at him, a teasing smile curving her lips. It was the last night she had left with Len, before she had to leave him...for two whole months, at the very least. And she was determined to make the best of this remaining one night they had. Len's blue eyes darkened with hunger, and he leant down, his lips trailing lustfully from her jaw all the way to her neck. She bit her lip.

He bit into the soft skin of her neck, eliciting a weak cry from her, before he began to suck gently on her skin. It felt good, she couldn't deny that, and she moaned when he raised his head, his lips brushing tenderly against her throat. ''You're mine,'' he whispered, his fingers lightly stroking the bruise he had left behind, on her neck. She didn't protest against that claim, for she also wanted it to be true...

His fingers made their way from her neck all the way to her breasts, teasing them a little for a while. She jerked at his touch - she was much too sensitive there. Len noticed, and a smirk curved his lips - he moved his fingers away from her breasts, instead swirling down lower and lower...all the way to that tiny bit of flesh which she knew of, but had never once touched. She knew that it could bring pleasure, though she had never tried that for herself before.

His fingers stroked her there, right there, and she gasped, her body jerking at his touch. Len began to rub his fingers against that most private part of herself, and her eyes closed as she felt herself edging away from him, edging away from the pleasure that his fingers were bringing. That elicited a growl from him, then one of his hands had suddenly trapped both her arms over her head. She couldn't move.

His other hand continued stroking her there, and she whimpered, finding that she was unable to get away from him. She could feel the moisture pooling down there, as he continued to play with her more and more - it made her whimper a little, in both need and discomfort. The more he stroked her, the more sensitive she became, and this was starting to become a bitter-sweet pain. A torturous pleasure.

''Miku,'' she heard Len say, his voice coming out as harsh and low. She whimpered again, as she felt him continue to rub against her - she was getting very wet now, and she could feel it. It was making her feel rather embarrassed, how wet she was, and she pressed her thighs together, trying to stop him from doing this to her. To her surprise, and faint disappointment, Len did just that - he stopped touching her.

But then, before she could begin wondering if he had changed his mind, she felt gentle hands prying her thighs apart...and then, she felt his warm tongue, running out lightly against the inner folds of her body. Her eyes flicked open in shock, and she watched as the blond boy buried his face between her legs, his tongue stroking her teasingly. Her face heated up as she watched him do that - it was embarrassing.

Len wanted to laugh as he looked up, seeing Miku bury her face in her pillows, as though she was too ashamed to look at what he was doing. _I only want to bring her pleasure like she has never known, _the thought ran through his mind. He stopped what he was doing, instead crawling up her body so that he could plant a gentle kiss against the curve of her neck, where her neck met her shoulder. She squeaked.

Her beautiful green eyes met his, and she bit nervously on her lower lip. The sight made his heart melt, the way it always had - there was nothing about her that he didn't love, and no matter what she did, he would always love her. ''Why did you stop?'' she asked, almost as though she didn't want to ask him such a question. He smiled at that - the question was so endearingly shy. So adorable. Sweet, even.

''I wanted to please you even more,'' and with that, he bent his head, tugging lightly at her nipple with his teeth. He heard her cry out his name at that, and that encouraged him. He knew from touching her earlier that she was sensitive there, and he was going to make good use of that knowledge. He would make her feel so good that she would never love another person...that she would remember only him.

It was a selfish desire, and he knew it, but it was a desire that he could not help feeling. He didn't ever want to share his Miku with any other person - _I love her. I love her more than any other person ever could. How could anyone possibly ask me to give her up? She's...mine. _He had already witnessed the pain of watching her walk away from him before...he didn't want to feel that pain again. Because it hurt so much.

_It was a week after the incident at the river. Now, Miku and Len tried to spend as much time as they could with each other - but it was difficult, since their parents were quickly becoming suspicious of where both of them were always going. One day, their respective fathers followed their child, all the way to the same river bank the two of them always met at...and witnessed something they despised._

_Len and Miku had been physically torn apart by their furious fathers, before being taken home. Each father gave their child a long, stern lecture on how they were not supposed to dally with the enemy, as that was who the other was. The enemy. However, Miku's father added one more thing to the lecture - if she ever went to see the Kagamine brat again..._

_She would be disowned by her father. Miku hadn't wanted that to happen, so she quietly resolved to stay away from Len, even if she ended up breaking her own heart in the process. She continued to sell flowers in the town market, but now, whenever Len came to see her, she spoke to him only as though he was another customer. Not as a lover._

_Len hated this. She was always walking away from him, brushing him aside as though he was no more than an irritant. Why? Just because their parents had found them at the river? How did that change anything? They still loved each other, did they not? He knew she still harboured feelings for him - he could see those feelings in the depths of her eyes..._

_So why wouldn't she talk to him? He had tried just now, only to see her brushing past him, as though he didn't even exist. This had been happening for the five days ever since they had been caught, and it was frustrating him...not to mention, it hurt. Watching her ignore him, like he was unworthy of her attention. _Why, what's wrong? Doesn't she love me anymore?

_He glanced down at the ring he was holding. It was a simple ring, made of polished silver. As a centrepiece, there was a beautiful white flower - white and pure, just like she herself was. He held the ring up to his lips, before he rose from where he was seated at the fountain, his gaze roaming the market for Miku. He found her standing nearby._

_She didn't notice him approaching her, and it was only when he lightly touched her on her shoulder did she gasp and turn around. Her green eyes dimmed as she registered who it was. ''Oh. Len,'' she said, her voice less than enthusiastic. It cut at him, to hear her showing such meagre interest in him. Hadn't she told him before that she loved him, too?_

_''Even if you don't want to acknowledge my feelings for you...'' his eyes were as intense and sad as they always were, ''at least tell me why. Why are you doing this to me?'' She didn't know how to reply, and the two of them just stood there, in the middle of the bustling market crowds...just the two of them, lost in their own little world. Staring at each other._

_It was so strange, how he had come to love her. After all, he was the son of a noble, while she was nothing but a simple flower girl. Under normal circumstances, they wouldn't even have had a chance to meet. Miku wondered whether that meant they were meant to be...or whether it was just Fate, playing a cruel trick on the both of them._

_''We're not supposed to talk to each other,'' she said simply, finally withdrawing from him. She didn't miss the flicker of hurt that went through his eyes at her withdrawal. ''I'm sorry, Len. You'll find someone better than me...you'll find someone that your family wouldn't disapprove of. I'm nothing but a simple flower girl - how did you ever fall in love with me?''_

_''It was your smile,'' he whispered, startling her. After all, that had been meant to be a rhetorical question. ''When I first saw your smile...'' his voice faded away, and he shook his head, as though trying to come out of a daze. Then, his voice hardened. ''I know you're only behaving like this because your father told you to do so. But that isn't fair to either of us.''_

_''You don't know anything,'' she shot back, her fingers gripping her basket tightly. '''My father...if I talk to you again, if we love each other the way we do...he'll disown me,'' she could feel the tears prickling at her eyes. ''I don't have any savings, Len,'' she said softly. ''Without my father and a roof over my head, how am I supposed to survive in this world?''_

_''You can come to me!'' his hands seized hers, making her gasp in surprise. He seemed to be pleading with her, almost. ''I'll protect you. I'll keep you safe,'' his blue eyes _were_ pleading. ''Don't you believe that I love you enough to care for you?'' he asked her, making her hesitate. He sounded rather...desperate. She wondered if he really loved her that much..._

_''I know you will,'' she finally said, voice hesitant. ''But I don't want to rely on you. And your father...he would never approve. After all, there's still Hatsune blood flowing through my veins,'' she bit her lip, watching his blue eyes dim slightly. ''If I come to you, and he ends up disowning you as well...then what are we supposed to do, Len?'' she asked quietly._

_''But I don't want to lose you...'' before she could react, he had pulled her to him, his arms wrapping tightly around her waist. ''You still love me, don't you?'' he asked, almost timidly. As though he dared not know the answer. Miku hesitated - should she tell him the truth, or give him a lie? If she lied to him, he would leave her alone...but then he would hurt._

_Finally, she settled for the truth, whispering it into his ear. ''I still love you,'' she said quietly, her eyes closing as she felt him hold her tight. ''Even though our love is what others deem as sinful...corrupted...I still love you. But so what if I love you?'' she asked. ''We can't ever be together. Nobody approves of our relationship. Your father, my father...they don't allow it.''_

_''But still, you love me,'' he murmured, voice intense. He pulled back from her, still holding on to her hands. ''Don't walk away from me again, the same way you have for the past five days,'' he almost begged her. ''The pain of watching you do that...walking away from me...it cripples me.'' Gently, he kissed her knuckles. ''The hurt that you can bring...''_

_''Len,'' she ducked her head, averting her gaze. She could practically feel the stares of the surrounding market crowd, boring into the two young lovers. Wondering why they were being so affectionate in public. ''Everyone will be looking at us - you shouldn't be doing this here, there are so many people looking...''_

_''So let them all look,'' he said fiercely. ''I want everyone to know that you're mine,'' with that claim of possession, Len took out a ring, and before she knew it he had slid the ring onto her finger. Onto the ring finger which represented marriage. She flushed at the sight - it was a beautiful ring, and it fit her perfectly. A ring with a white flower on it..._

_''I love you,'' he repeated, his gaze softening. ''Don't walk away from me ever again. Please? You said that you love me,'' he held her hand to his cheek, holding on tightly. ''Don't say that you love me unless you really mean it, because I might end up doing something foolish...like believe you,'' his eyes closed as he sighed softly, still clinging on tightly to her hand._

_She hesitated. But then, finally she squeezed his hand. ''I love you, true,'' she murmured. ''But...we can't be together the way we want to, can we?'' she regarded him, almost frightened of what he would say to her. Len just sighed again, as though that wasn't something which he wanted to discuss. Yet, how could they love without being caught?_

_''We can't,'' he agreed. ''But we'll find a way.''_

Miku was dying from the pleasure. His tongue was warm against her skin, so warm and teasing. Each time his tongue ran out against her, she shuddered and trembled. It felt so good, and she had already reached the stage where she no longer felt embarrassed about what he was doing to her - she just didn't want him to stop. She wanted him to love her.

He was hovering over her body, his lips trailing sweet butterfly kisses all over her skin. ''You're just like a flower,'' he whispered, his blond hair falling around his face. ''Lovely and delicate. When I look at you...'' he turned his gaze away. ''I'm so frightened of hurting you. I'm scared that if I handle you too roughly, you'll bruise. The same way a flower will, if you don't pick it the correct way...'' he was silenced.

Her hand covered his mouth. ''Don't say things like that,'' she murmured. ''I want you to bruise me. I want you to mark me as yours...for this one night...before I have to leave you,'' at the very thought, tears stung at her eyes, but she tried not to let those tears show. She wanted it to be a night of pleasure for him, not a night of sadness. Not a night of loneliness. But he didn't miss the tears - he knew her that well.

''Don't cry,'' he whispered, running his hand down her cheek. But of course, that just made the tears come, rolling slowly down her face. Instantly, he flipped them over so that she was in his arms, and he was hugging her close to him. ''Don't be sad,'' he nuzzled into the crook of her neck. ''Don't ever be sad...I just want you to be happy. That's my only wish, Miku,'' his voice was soft. ''That you'll be happier than I am.''

''I can't be happy without you,'' she sobbed quietly, her cheek pressed against his chest. He cupped her face, tilting it upwards, before he leant down to gently kiss her tears away. He was so tender with her, his every action so loving...gradually, she could feel the tears lessening, and she hiccuped, trying to wipe them away. She flushed, embarrassed - why had she cried? She just ruined everything...

''No, you didn't,'' Len whispered, correctly interpreting the look on her face. ''You just reminded me of how I shouldn't be rough, the way I was earlier. You're a delicate flower,'' his fingers ran through her silky hair, lifting strands of it up to his lips. ''And I should treat you as such,'' he murmured, almost to himself. His eyes flicked up to meet hers. ''Do you think that you're ready for me?'' he questioned her.

She blushed some more, before she finally nodded. Len's gaze softened at her, becoming adoringly tender. Gently, he carried her up, as though she weighed no more than a feather - she knew that she was not that light - before he braced her, just above himself. She could feel him brushing against her, and she swallowed, suddenly nervous. He seemed to sense her fear. ''Don't be frightened,'' he said soothingly.

She shook her head - no, she wasn't scared. Before he could do anything, she slid herself down, taking him inside her body - and then she gasped out, her eyes watering in pain. _It hurts, _her mind whispered, and she saw his eyes darken as he noticed the pain she was in. It made her want to smile through the pain - he always had been over-protective of her, like he feared that she was unable to protect herself.

At times, she found that protectiveness undeniably frustrating. But at other times, such at this, she found it strangely...sweet. ''Do you still hurt?'' he asked her. ''Is there anything I can do to make it hurt less?'' She shook her head - no, there was nothing he could do. The pain...it was as though someone had shoved a blunt knife inside her...and there was the blood, leaking out. She averted her gaze from it.

''Tell me when you don't hurt anymore,'' he waited for her, his eyes patient and gentle. She fidgeted a little. After the initial sharp pain had faded away - she realised that she was clinging on tightly to him, as though trying to stave the pain off - she now didn't hurt so much. Now, the feeling was more of...fullness. He made her feel full, and she liked that - it was pleasurable. Miku sighed softly, feeling rather contented.

''It doesn't hurt anymore,'' she told him, as he had wanted her to. His eyes brightened, and then he placed his hands on her waist. Seemingly without any effort whatsoever, he began to gently slide her up and down his shaft - she bit her lip, preventing herself from crying out. It had felt strange, but she liked it. She liked the feeling of him pushing in and out of her - it made her want to gasp in pleasure.

Len was gritting his teeth to prevent himself from doing anything that would be too rough for Miku. _She's just like a delicate flower...I can't do anything to hurt her. _He kept that in mind as he continued sliding her up and down his body. When he had first entered her, he had wanted to faint from how good it felt - he had been with other girls before, but those were all before he had met Miku Hatsune.

And she was better than any of them ever were. Her body was tight, and very warm. He leant forward, capturing her mouth with his own - she kissed him back, and he forced her lips apart with his tongue. She allowed him to kiss her deeply, and so he did just that, his mouth claiming possession of her the way his body had. _I just don't want anyone else to ever touch you. To steal you away from me._

''Len,'' she pulled away, her fingers clenching tightly on to him. ''Faster,'' she averted her gaze, seemingly too shy to meet his eyes. That was another thing he loved about her - he found it adorable, the way she always ducked her head and looked away from him whenever she spoke. It was so cute...he did as she wanted, increasing his speed. Against his will, he felt his hips jerking upwards, into her body.

She whimpered at that, and he gritted his teeth, stopping himself from doing that again. No, he didn't want to be too rough. He wanted her to have sole control over whatever they were doing...though, he could slowly feel his tightly reined self-control slipping away from him. He couldn't possibly lose control of himself - if he did that, he knew he would probably end up hurting her. And he didn't want to do that.

''Len,'' he heard her say, her arms wrapping tightly around him. ''I...I want you on top,'' the blush on her cheeks was adorable, and it almost distracted him from what she was saying. But he didn't miss it, and his eyes met hers, wide with shock. He began to shake his head, not willing to let her cede control over to him, but she placed a finger against his lips. ''I trust you won't hurt me,'' she smiled at him.

He was hesitant. But he did what she wanted, and tenderly he flipped them over so that she was nestled beneath him. She gazed up at him, her green eyes wide, and he braced himself over her, both of them still and unmoving for a while. It seemed as though the whole world was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen between the two young lovers. Then, the wait was over, and Len pushed in deep.

She cried out as she felt him take control. Each time he pushed himself inside her, her body jerked in pleasure. She didn't want him to ever stop - what he was doing was sheer bliss, and she knew that he would never do anything to harm her. ''I love you so much,'' she heard him through her daze of pleasure. His eyes were so sad, as they always were...and she knew that he was thinking of their eventual separation.

''I love you too,'' she answered, her lips barely able to form the words. Then, she gasped as Len's speed increased - his thrusts got harder and deeper, as though he was tired of holding himself back. The force was so strong that she felt herself slide a little across the bed. She could no longer form any coherent thoughts, none save for how much she wanted him. How much she loved him...more than anything.

His blond hair fell around his face as he looked down at her. He could barely think - he was just so desperate to reach his release. He leant down, his fingers sliding from her neck to her chest once again. She shuddered at his touch, and he didn't know if that meant that he should stop...or not. He felt Miku's slender legs wrapping tightly around his waist, and his eyes widened as he glanced down at her.

Her eyes were closed, her long eyelashes curling against her cheeks. Her lips were parted slightly as he continuously plunged deep into her. Len swallowed, leaning down to nuzzle into the curve of her neck. She tilted her head, allowing him access as again, his teeth sank into her neck. Marking her as his. He didn't ever want to share her with anyone...he just wanted her to remain as his, and his alone.

No matter what happened, no matter where they went, even if they were separated...she would be his. And he would be hers. He held on to one of her hands, closing his eyes as he gave himself over to the pleasure that was slowly spreading throughout his body. A pleasure that Miku had given him...a pleasure that the both of them were sharing together. But it was a bitter-sweet pleasure, for she would leave...

Miku could feel a tight knot within her stomach, tugging downwards. Her breaths came out in ragged gasps as she squirmed against Len. His actions seemed more primal now, more guided by animal instinct than anything else. Strangely, the thought of that excited her. She liked that she was the one who had brought him so much pleasure that he had lost control of himself...that he was no longer the person she knew.

The knot tightened further, and it almost hurt. She reached up, cupping his face, and he kissed her, their tongues entwining as sweat trickled down their bare bodies. Finally, he thrust one last time inside her, and the knot undid itself, making her cry out in both relief and pleasure. Her body shuddered around his as she felt him shaking...he withdrew from her slowly, his eyes dark with want as he breathed heavily.

She couldn't move, her body unwilling to listen to what her mind wanted. It just wanted to bask in the afterglow of what had just happened, between her and Len. Len laid himself next to her, his arms reaching out to wrap around her waist. He drew her closer against himself, and she went willingly, feeling him nuzzle into the crook of her neck. Underneath the pleasure...she choked.

It was a deep sadness, a sadness that ran through the both of them. She knew that he was trying hard not to think about their separation, but it loomed in their minds, refusing to leave the two of them alone. It was a sadness so deep it actually hurt them physically, and Miku wished that she could get rid of all the sadness in his eyes. It was hurting him, and hurting him was the last thing that she ever wanted to do.

''Tomorrow morning, you'll disappear from my sight,'' he whispered, his arms tightening around her. She twisted around, meeting his sad gaze - he returned her stare, his eyes searching her face. ''And I'll wonder whether all this was just a dream...'' his voice faded away, and he turned his head away from her, his blond hair falling over his eyes. Miku reached out, slowly turning him back to face her.

''Don't be upset,'' she murmured. ''Two months will be over before you know it, and we can be together again, even if our love is a corrupted one,'' her eyes widened as she felt him nuzzle into her chest. Wetness ran down her skin, and she realised that he was crying...she had never once seen him cry before. He was always strong and in control, and he never cried. Yet, now he was crying for her. Because she was leaving.

''Don't cry...'' she repeated the words that he had told her, not too long ago. ''Don't be sad, Len,'' she smiled tremulously. ''I'll love you for as long as I live. Your ring is still on my finger...'' she only wore it whenever her father wasn't around. At other times, it hung on a chain around her neck. ''In two months, I'll return, and nothing will change between us. We'll still love each other...won't we?''

He withdrew, his blue eyes meeting hers. ''You promise?'' he asked softly, like he couldn't quite believe what she was saying to him. Miku let her fingers run against his cheek, trying to reassure him. He leant his cheek into her cupped palm, his eyes flicking away from her. She called his name, and he glanced back at her. She thought she could see trepidation in his eyes, as though he feared her answer.

''I promise,'' she smiled at him. The trepidation disappeared, being replaced by relief, and he smiled back at her, holding her tight. He tried to feel happy...for even if they were separated tomorrow, she would still come back to him. Wouldn't she? It was a tiny happiness, though - in the face of the pain of their separation, it was a happiness that seemed almost negligible. But this small joy was the only thing he had left.

It hurt solely because they loved each other. Their love was a corrupted one - their love was what allowed them to breathe, and that same love was what killed them both, inside.

_The corrupted flower of their love blooms more beautifully than ever. One petal falls to the ground, and the flower curls up on itself. The corrupted flower will bloom again, once it is watered with the tears of sorrow. Until then, it lies dormant, waiting to bear its fruit._

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_**Solitaryloner: **And I thought Queen of Ice was a long one shot. This one is even longer. It took me several days to type, on and off. I did a little bit each day, in between studying breaks. I've been working on this thing for one whole week...and I think it's pretty decent. Do you?_

_Okay, fine, so it does seem two shot-ish. But I'm not going to add anything until my exams are over, and I want to complete Queen of Ice and Games for Idiots first, so don't expect anything to be added to this for now._


End file.
